Hey ya'll...okay I updated my gorw room a bit, and need some help with light positioning. This is what I use to have set up in my grow room sized 6' long 4' width and 4' height aprox. I had one Sylvania 75watt GROlux placed about 1 foot above the plants, 2 cool white 75watt floros blace just above the highest stem, a container with vinegar and baking soda set aside the plants for co2 and a old computer fan venting the grow space. This was set up for only 2 plants..they grew to aprox 4' as I had to top them for grow restrictions. (they look amazing, and VERY healthy..very bushy..very big. The seeds where NorthernHaze. -------------- Now I have upgraded to 1 1000watt HPS light 2 cool white 75 watt floros, and I still have the GROlux 75watt light. I am planning on growing 2 more plants, they have already sprouted and would like to get this new light set up ASAP to maximize growth. Where do I place all these lights (how far away from the plants) and I never had a HPS light before...do I leave it on continuously?..or is that to much heat?. And is it dangerous to use this light in a confined attic type are for fires and shit?..or do they actually let off not that much heat?.. Please let me know on your ideas all, and how I should set this up with (light distance from plants)..GOT a wicked deal..bought a 1000watt HPS, heat shield, and venting system for 200.00 Canadian...gotta love it when people give up the hobby
1000w HPS for two plants?! You're nucking futz. I would place the HPS at least 30-36" away from the plant tops, and I wouldn't use it until the plants have become stable and into veg under the fluoros. The fluoroescent lights, I would actually install near the sides of the plants for more available light for the lower branches. I would go straight into an 18/6 light cycle for veg if I were you, cause the plants will need those six hours to cool off. I, unlike what I would usually say, would actually be a bit concerned with heat problems. The fact that you're using a 1000w light in an enclosed attic seems only like a classic setting for a fire to begin. I would run the HPS on its own circuit since it will be guzzling electricity. ~Lycanthropy
i agree, run the 1000 through its own circuit for power usage, and that also decreases the whole short circuit problem, which would be another cause of fire, and death to those lovely plants. using the two fluros on the sides is also a good idea, but i would keep them a bit farther away, seeing how those branches are still going to be gettin light from the main sourcse above. and since this is all for only two plants, if your going to use the 1000, that GROlux isnt even really going to be needed. and once again, agreeing with the guy above me, start them straight off on a 18/6 schedule. happy growing man
Hmm..perhaps the 1000watt HPS is not a good idea?...What should I use for them then?..and will anything lower voltage need a seperate circuit..dont want to rewire my house., Or do you think I should just finish off my two mature plants with what I have now? the floros and Grolux? Any ideas ? Thanks.
Honestly, for two plants, a 250w light would have done you just as good as that nifty 1000 watter you bought. For the size of plants you're describing, finishing at 4' of height, maybe a 400w light is permitted. Anything more than that I would consider overkill. If your mature plants seem to be doing nicely under the GroLux/Fluoro, I would suggest letting them run under the current lights so that you have time to learn more about your new light, how to set it up correctly and whatnot. With 1000w of power, it's a bit more than just plugging it in. ~Lycanthropy
a 1000w light only uses the same electric as a 1 bar electric fire. its not that big a deal to run a coupple of them off the same plug. just make sure all the wires used are 13amp or better as chepo 5amp cord will melt after a while. dont coil cable or run it next to anything hot like the balast and it will be ok.
True, THUG, but then again, better safe than having our asses and our plants burning to ash, right? Well, ok, that's where the plants are going anyways, but the point is.. With running even one 1k watt light off of a power strip is dangerous enough. I wouldn't trust anything 600w or above with a soft wire.. I'd hardwire it directly to its own power circuit. There's always going to be some risk of fire, but the more watts they use, the more heat they let off. ~Lycanthropy